Wezen is a supergiantstar of the bright yellow 'F'spectral classification, some two hundred times the diameter of the Sun, and generating more than three thousand times as much light. In common with other such massive and luminousstars, Wezen's lifespan is a short one. Only ten million years old (a tiny fraction of the Sun's age), it has already burned through its reserves of hydrogen, and is evolving towards the redgiant phase of its existence, after which - probably in just a few hundred thousand years - it will burst into a supernova.

This star's traditional name of Wezen comes from the Arabic for 'weight', though the intention behind the name is unclear. Indeed, it is not even sure whether the name was originally meant for Delta Canis Majoris at all, but over time it has become connected to this star. The same name, with the same origins but a slightly variant spelling, is shared by the star Beta Columbae. That star, lying less than 20° away from Wezen in the sky, is traditionally known as Wazn or Wezn, and may indeed have been the original owner of the name.